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him while the woman called xh& po
lice. "Why didn't you shoot the dog?"
Bastian was asked.
"Oh, f couldn't do that," he replied.
"Why, I love dogs.''
And that expresses the character
of this very remarkable criminal
scarcely more than a boy.
"I was one of three adventurous
brothers,'" explained Bastian. "I was
anxious to make my fortune early. I
left home in Germany andwent to
sea when 15. My mother is still liv
ing; my father is dead. When I ar
rived in the United States I became a.
plasterer. The work is very unre
liable. I was driven into crime by
necessity. I committed my first bur
glary in Oakland, obtaining S9, I
think, on which to eat. I found thaF
it was easier to get a living by dis
honest methods than by honest ones,
so I took up burglary.
"In .all my crimes I was guided by
intuition. My plans were always sim-j
pie. In the beginning I robbed houses
when the inmates were out. Later I
began robbing when people were
home, usually operating when they
were on the ground 6001. I generally
entered by a second-story window.
My experience at sea had made me
an agile climber. I always wore cot
ton gloves so as not to leave finger
prints. In my basement I melted the
gold and silver and sold it in ingots;
the jewels I disposed of unset. I
never planned a job far ahead and
when I worked I always acted rapid
ly. I never worked after 11 o'clock
and in the winter time. I was general
ly tnrough by 8, when I would go
home, play the piano, read and then
go to bed. I always kept good hours,
never smoked or drank and did riot
travel with women. I had no con
federates and had no intimate ac
quaintances. People thought I was
a wholesale jeweler even my sister."
Bastian is a great lover and stu
dent of music. His tastes were the
best, as shown by the exquisite fur
nishings of his home the flowersI
the fountain splashing in the aquar
ium in the back yard where gold fish
swam.
"The thing -that hurt me most,"
said Bastian, "was to think of the
disgrace that it would bring to my lit
tle siBter Josephine when she learned
the truth about me."
Bastian had brought Josephine,
only 17, from Germany and was edu
cating her. When he was arrested
she refused to leave the jail. Tear
ful and heartbroken she voluntarily
occupied the cell next to him until in
duced to go to the home of friends.
Bastian has deeded her his home,
but it is thought that burglary insur
ance companies will obtain posses-
sjon of it.
"Why didn't I quit? Well, I had a
garage in my basement. I wanted
an automobile. If I had had a ma
chine I think I should have quit."
0 o .
HAD'EMHID ,
9
,Sl
pet, nuHti'A
Bat Say, Pat, "have ' you any
corns? j
Pat Yes. on the soles 'of my feet.
Bat Thai's one consolation, any
way. '
Pat Why? t
Bajt Becaus'e nobody can sland
on them'but yourself !